


happy hour

by written_you_down



Series: nostalgic. [1]
Category: Bastille (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Origin Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:08:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24307957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/written_you_down/pseuds/written_you_down
Summary: Kyle no longer has to wait tables.
Relationships: Kyle Simmons/Dan Smith
Series: nostalgic. [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1754833
Comments: 7
Kudos: 25





	happy hour

Kyle is pretty certain that he’s never seen anyone drunk puke as much as Dan is doing in this very moment.

To be sure, it’s been a big day. Maybe the biggest day ever — they signed a record contract. 

Instead of worrying about having to secure a responsible full time job, the kind proper adults have, they suddenly had endless amounts of time to just make music. But this particular day was now meant for celebration. For drinking the cheapest beer on tap and eating trash American food which is precisely how Dan found himself in his current state.

The night had progressed from some truly spectacular day drinking. Kyle doubted that the ink had dried on the contract when they ordered the first round at the nearest pub they could find. It was mid-day and they had the place almost entirely to themselves. Kyle carried three pints of beer back to the table the group had claimed towards the back of the room. 

Dan shook his head as he saw Kyle approach, “I don’t see how you can carry them that way. It would be a fucking mess if I attempted that.”

Kyle set the glasses down, then lightly bumped his elbow to Dan’s side. “Years of waiting tables.” He settled in his chair next to Dan and added in a sing songy voice, “Which I don’t have to do-ew, anymore-ore.”

Chuckling from across the table, Will commented, “poetic, that is.”

“Oh, I’m sure that with a bit of effort, we could shape it to a song.” Kyle grinned. “And then put it on our record. Because we, my friends, we have an honest to God record contract.”

Dan laughed. “Which may I add… is re-fucking-diculous.” 

They had a record deal. Kyle kept turning the words over in his head and still they sounded absurd. Kyle had always hoped to have a career in music, but he never thought he’d be in an actual band. In his mind, he pictured himself backstage. Building a set. Working the sound. Never did he think he’d have a keyboard at his fingertips or a microphone in front of his face. But then he met Dan. Dan, who absolutely lit up when he started talking about music. Dan, who said if he could get on a stage, flail about and convince people that he was a frontman, then anything was possible.

Kyle had never seen Dan so carefree as he ordered round after round. Kyle could see no reason to slow down, not when they were so happy, not with Dan sitting close to his side. The alcohol was keeping things pleasently fuzzy around the edges and all of it felt like a dream.

Kyle had lost count of pints when Dan declared “I’m craving a cheeseburger. A greasy, disgusting McDonald’s cheeseburger.”

It wasn’t as if anyone had any better ideas (or any money for that matter) and so they soon found themselves with cheap combo meals. By the time he finished eating, Kyle didn’t know if it was the earlier beer, the record deal, or because Dan kept bumping against him, but he was ready to chase this night to wherever it wanted to take him. He smiled and lifted his mostly empty paper cup in the air, “Cheers to you, Dan. For saving us from having to procure shit jobs.” Will and Woody followed suit and raised their cups. 

Kyle knew Dan was spectacularly faded when instead of deflecting the attention as he normally would, he grinned widely. Dan seemed to be searching for a response, but looked to be failing at actually connecting a of combination of words. Suddenly, Dan wrinkled his forehead as if he was struck by a thought and stated “I’m starving. Can we go to Burger King?”

Kyle frowned in confusion, “we just ate an insane amount of….”

“Of course we can!” Will spoke over Kyle’s protest. Will nodded his head so emphatically that Kyle grew somewhat suspicious. Given, he was always suspicious when Will appeared overeager about anything. 

Before Kyle can stop Dan, he’s on his feet, letting Will lead him around the corner. Moments later, the four of them are under fluorescent lighting and Dan is energetically eating a giant burger while a cardboard crown is perched atop his head. The food seems as if it’s the worse idea ever, but Dan’s so content that Kyle doesn’t have it in him to object. Kyle took his phone out to capture the moment, held it front of Dan and grinned, “Well then. God save the Queen.” 

Dan pauses for a picture that’s so damn adorable that it winds up being on Kyle’s lock screen for ages. 

After Dan is finally finished, they move back out into the night. There’s another pub and more pints. Kyle doesn’t exactly recall whose idea additional alcohol was, but he’s fairly certain that it was Will’s. It was an odd night that Will was the one who took control of keeping everyone out for all hours, but Kyle shrugs it off. It’s not as if this is a normal day. 

Eventually, everyone has an empty glass in their hands except Dan who is still cheerfully drinking. Kyle has already come to the conclusion that it will fall upon him to get Dan home safely. He doesn’t mind, but he is starting to get concerned about the mass quantity of just sheer garbage he’s watched Dan consume. It’s late, last call and Dan doesn’t want to leave. He’s doing his best to convince each of them of getting another round. “Who can give a shit about tomorrow when today is so brilliant?” Dan argues, with a grin still in place, “Let’s just drink and avoid it altogether.” 

Kyle puts a hand on Dan’s arm, to reason with him. “Yes, but the kind people who work here would probably like to go to their homes.” Kyle catches Woody’s eye, who seems to follow Kyle’s train of thought. 

“I’ll settle the tab and meet you lot outside” Woody says. “Go on, then.”

Everything seems ok until they’re back on the street, waiting for Woody when Dan suddenly turns a shade of grey. He began to look frantically for a place to be sick. For what seems like forever, he heaves everything onto the pavement. He’s in surprisingly good spirits, all things considered. He’s mumbling that he feels fine and mixing his words with things that sound like “proper band, Palmer, Whopper…” And well, aside from his current mess, no one can accuse Dan of being an unpleasant drunk. Kyle glances over at Will, who is actually filming the entire ordeal. Will, who just rid himself of his flip phone, like last week, is recording like a bloody instagram influencer. 

Will grinned, wearing the Burger King crown he nicked from Dan earlier. “This is revolting. I honestly don’t know how he’s doing this. It’s as if some gigantic wild animal created it.” He peered over Dan’s shoulder for a better look. “No. It’s more like a dinosaur made this. It’s prehistoric. Shall I put it on facebook for posterity?”

Kyle shook his head. “No, mate. No one uses facebook. Your mum will be the only one who sees it. Let’s not subject her to this, surely she’s been through enough already…” Will predictably raises his left middle finger at Kyle and Kyle offers a wink in response.

Thankfully, Dan’s stomach has either settled or completely surrendered because he’s finally gone silent. Kyle went to him and attempted to help him to sit on a curb, far from the destruction. He settled next to him, moved his arm around Dan and began to lightly rub circles on the small of Dan’s back. Dan looked at him and made a weak lopsided smile that really had no business being as effective as it was to Kyle. “Alright then?’ he asked Dan.

Though his sickness is making Dan look like a washed out version of himself, Kyle can only describe the expression on Dan’s face as giddy. Dan replies, “I hope I remember tonight. All of it.”

Kyle laughs, “You did just forget that you ate two gigantic dinners.” 

Dan looked solemn for a moment, his eyebrows drawing together. “Very true. But you’ll help me piece it all together, won’t you? All the good bits?” 

“Of course I will.” Kyle moved his hand from Dan’s back to reach over and lightly hold his hip. Kyle tugged him softly to bring him into a hug. Given the angle, it was slightly awkward, but Dan didn’t seem to mind and he settled his forehead into the crook of Kyle’s neck. Kyle grinned and couldn’t resist adding “And it’s not as if any of us will let you forget what you just did here in the street. Pretty certain that Will’s mum watched it on facebook.” 

Kyle glanced up to see Woody finally leaving the pub. Woody was over correcting his stride, as he tried to appear more sober than he actually was. It did little to prevent him from almost stomping through the disaster Dan had left. He just avoided it and before he can begin what surely is going to be a string of elaborate cursing, Will announces, “Dan did that. It’s almost impressive, isn’t it?”

Dan still hasn’t moved from his spot against Kyle, but responds with a half-hearted “fuck off” in Will’s direction.

The swear only made Will smile brighter and he walked over to where Dan and Kyle sat. He kneeled down and removed the cardboard crown and offered it in mock seriousness to Dan. “Now, now. You’ve definitely earned the right to wear this. You are the one true Burger King.”

Kyle raised an eyebrow, “It isn’t too late to kick Will out of the band, you know.”

Dan sighed, managed to slowly pull himself away from Kyle and sat up under his own power. “No, he’s right. It belongs to me.” He carefully took the crown and placed it on his head.

“Heavy is the head who wears the crown,” Kyle smirked as he stood from the curb.

“So true,” Dan nodded and held out his hands to Kyle to be helped up. He met Kyle’s eyes and smiled, “Lucky you’re around to help me with all that.” Dan squinted, and pulled a face that perhaps he had said more than he intended. Attempting to salvage it, Dan looked over at Will and Woody. “You two, as well. Lucky me.”

They both looked skeptical, but Kyle shook his head to ward off any incoming remarks on their end. Though it seemed to visibly pain them to let Dan off the hook so easily, they left it alone. “Thanks, mate,” said Woody. “But I think we’ve got to call it a night.” He glanced at Kyle and nodded towards Dan. “Have you got him, then?”

Dan looked back at Kyle, his eyes wide in an expression that was so pure, Kyle was certain Dan would have never allowed it, had he been sober. It was all Kyle could do to keep from laughing. It really was a tremendous night. He lightly put his arm around Dan’s shoulder and started leading him away. “Yeah. I’ve got him.” And for this day, this night where anything was possible, it seemed to be true.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks to juli for patiently answering all my questions which include things like "is there too much vomit in this?"


End file.
